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Garages to Global: DigitalCity Business provides business support to SMEs in the digital and creative spheres

  • 30 September 2014

DigitalCity Business and its follow-up project Garages to Global benefit start-ups as well as established SMEs in the digital media, digital technology and creative sectors, primarily in the Tees Valley. Next to creating hundreds of jobs, the project is transforming Middlesbrough’s Boho Zone into a vibrant creative area.

Middlesbrough is now rated fourth out of four hundred areas in England for high growth potential businesses – from plumb bottom five years ago. We've triggered an unprecedented growth in private sector investment in businesses, ideas and buildings, and perhaps just as importantly we’ve helped trigger new confidence, ambition and aspiration in the Tees Valley. These are not things that will fade away, and they augur well.

Mark Elliott, DigitalCity Business

As a result of DigitalCity Business’ activities, Middlesbrough has recently been rated one of the UK’s digital hotspots by the Financial Times. Since 2006, 285 enterprises have been supported and 190 new jobs have been created. Initial ERDF funding has triggered three further publicly funded buildings and five private-sector initiatives in the new ‘Boho zone’.

Five areas of activity

All the support products DigitalCity Business offers have been designed in-house and represent a robust and secure system by which to maximise the growth of businesses. Often they too are unique, innovative, radical in design and offer something that no other project offers.

DigitalCity Business can help new and growing enterprises through five areas of support.

Community: Applicants can benefit from DigitalCity Business’ network of innovative and professional digital businesses in the region.Location: The Boho Zone in Middlesbrough is an area of 10 ha specifically prioritised for the development of digital infrastructure and provides office space.Start-up: DigitalCity Business provides training, contacts, facilities and other support to start-ups.Expansion and Growth: Existing businesses get support for setting up commercialisation strategies, sales planning, and attracting investment for expansion.Investment: The most promising companies can benefit from DigitalCity Business’ links to investment funds and other sources of financing.

Looking forward

With the newest project Garages to Global, DigitalCity Business is moving towards a more commercialised approach that is less dependent on public financing. The aim is to reach 200 SMEs and create 130 new jobs. By 2022, DigitalCity hopes to create up to 3 000 new, sustainable jobs, which could deliver a yearly impact of GBP 144 million for the Tees valley.

Total investment and EU funding

Total investment for the projects “DigitalCity 2010-2012 Revenue”, “DigitalCity: Garages to Global”, and “DigitalCity: BOHO 5” is GBP 8 012 637 (around EUR 9 680 000) with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) contributing GBP 3 871 360 (around EUR 4 680 000) through priority axis 1, Enhancing and Exploiting Innovation, of the “North East of England” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period.